'Alice in Zombieland' by Gena Showalter: Review & Giveaway

Alice in Zombieland

The White Rabbit Chronicles Book #1 

By Gena Showalter

Published by Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: September 25, 2012 

She won’t rest until she’s sent every walking corpse back to its grave. Forever.

Had anyone told Alice Bell that her entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, she would have laughed. From blissful to tragic, innocent to ruined? Please. But that’s all it took. One heartbeat. A blink, a breath, a second, and everything she knew and loved was gone.

Her father was right. The monsters are real….

To avenge her family, Ali must learn to fight the undead. To survive, she must learn to trust the baddest of the bad boys, Cole Holland. But Cole has secrets of his own, and if Ali isn’t careful, those secrets might just prove to be more dangerous than the zombies….

I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently.

I'd tell my sister no.

I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad.

I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words.

Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mom and my dad one last time.

I'd tell them I love them.

I wish... Yeah, I wish.

Alice in Zombieland is the first book in the White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter. I received this book from Harlequin UK in exchange for an honest review.  I have to begin by saying I don't normally like zombie stories very much (or at all if I'm being totally honest.) They're just not my cup of tea.  That said, I was surprised by how much I absolutely loved this book.  It started, of course, with the gorgeous cover. I couldn't turn it away now could I? I'm very glad I stepped out of my safety zone to check this out.

The story is told from the point of view of the main character, Ali as she attempts to move on with her life following the death of her family. Honestly, Ali has every right to hide under her bed for the rest of her life after what she witnesses. Instead, she plunges head first back into the world, determined to learn the truth. You have to respect the hell out of her for that, in my opinion. Add to that her humor and compassion and you have a very likable character on your hands. 

Thanks to Gena Showalter I now have another book boyfriend to share with you all. Cole Holland is that boy. Holy hotness, ladies! He's a bad boy with an even worse reputation but he's so much fun to look at. And the oddest things seem to happen whenever he and Ali let their gazes meet. He's very mysterious and seemingly aloof. Admit it, ladies, we cannot walk away from that combination.  I am going to go ahead and say it's impossible to not drool just a little over him. 

Alice in Zombieland is action packed and overflowing with twists, suspense and even some romance. I never had any idea what would happen next and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I cannot wait for the next book in this fantastically enjoyable new series. 

My Rating: 

And now for the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in paranormal and contemporary romances, as well as young adult novels. Her series include White Rabbit Chronicles, Angels of the Dark, Otherworld Assassins, Lords of the Underworld, Alien Huntress and Intertwined.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated all over the world. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”.

Friday Fever: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Friday Fever is a weekly event hosted here at Girls *Heart* Books. Every Friday, we will showcase one of our favorite steamy and/or romantic scenes. You know the ones we're talking about; those that get your pulse thumping and your temperature rising. Enjoy.

This week I decided to share an intriguing and steamy scene from one of my new favorite books; Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter. I loved this book so much (I'll be posting my review very soon) and for now I will leave you with this lovely scene. 

The moment our eyes met,  the moisture in my mouth dried up and I lost focus of my surroundings. He was all that I could see, all that I wanted to see. And in the span of a single second we were no longer across the hall from each other-we were pressed together, his arms wrapped around me, my arms wrapped around him, and we were kissing. Miracle of miracles, he was five inches taller than me, practically dwarfing me. I loved it! And oh glory, I loved what we were doing...

I had never been kissed before, but his tongue was definitely in my mouth, and my tongue was definitely in his, and we were practically eating each other's faces.

"Ali," he breathed as he drew me closer, squeezed me tighter.

"Cole," I breathed back. I couldn't get enough of him and never wanted to stop. He was so warm. So very warm, when I'd been so cold all summer. No matter how many blankets I'd piled on top of me, I'd been cold. I wanted to stay here, just like this, forever.

My fingers tangled in his hair, knocking off his cap. He angled his head, taking my mouth deeper, harder. 

"You taste good," he rasped. He smelled of sandalwood and something fruity, like a strawberry lollipop just freed from its wrapper.

"Talk later. Kiss now-"

Whoo boy I love that scene! Intrigued? I know I was! Don't miss out on this great read, guys! 

Teaser Tuesday: Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can participate! All you have to do is:
• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
My Teaser this week is from:

"The moment our eyes met, the moisture in my mouth dried up and I lost focus of my surroundings. He was all that I could see, all that I wanted to see."

~pg. 57

That's my teaser, what's yours? 

Confessions of an Angry Girl by Louise Rozett: Review

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make

…1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate,don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

I found this book on NetGalley and as soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I'd love it. I was very excited when I was approved to read it.  Confessions of an Angry Girl is Louise Rozett's debut YA novel and it is fantastic. I read this book in a day, I loved every second of it and simply couldn't put it down. 

The story follows Rose, the main character, and is told from her point of view.  Rose has recently lost her father, her mother has basically checked out, her brother is away at college and she's starting high school with all the trauma that can include. Honestly, I wonder how in the world Rose deals with all of it. 

I love Rose's character. She may feel awkward, young and inexperienced in high school but she is hell bent on being herself and no one else. She's strong and tries very hard to always be the best friend she can be even when it feels that friend is drifting further away from her every day. 

I loved this book, it's emotional and intense and had me completely drawn in from the very beginning. I yelled out loud at the ending and had to get online to find out when the sequel would be released.  Rose's story will make you laugh and break your heart all at the same time and I will be recommending this book to all the teens I know.

My Rating: 

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Louise Rozett is an author, a playwright, and a recovering performer. She is making her YA debut with Confessions of an Angry Girl, published by Harlequin Teen. Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend is due out May 2013. She lives with her boyfriend and 120-pound dog Lester in one of the world's greatest literary meccas, Brooklyn.

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'Saving June' by Hannah Harrington: Review

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one — so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going — California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down — again.

Saving June is Hannah Harrington's poignant debut novel. I knew instantly upon reading the synopsis of the book that this was one I simply HAD to read. I was definitely not disappointed with it.  This book deals with teen suicide but it doesn't shove a message down your throat. It's more about Harper, our main character, finding out who she really is following her sister's suicide.  

Saving June is told from Harper's point of view and as abrasive as she can be at times, she is actually really sweet and thoughtful in her own way.  Being the younger sibling of a seemingly perfect sister is never easy. When everyone is constantly measuring you against someone else's shadow, it has a way of tearing you apart little bits at a time. You can see this is what Harper's been dealing with since she became a teenager and more than anything else, this is what made my heart ache for her. Her parents and her aunt don't have any idea  who she really is and Harper is tired of trying to show them what they refuse to see.

Each character in this book is interesting and complex; flawed yet likable.  My favorites though, are Harper and Jake. They both have reputations that do not fit their true personalities and they both learn to crawl out of the box that others have stuffed them in to explore who they want to be for themselves.  I don't know how anyone could read this book and not adore Jake, especially. He may be an ass at times, but there is so much more to him than the attitude he shows the world. 

It was insanely hard to put this book down once I started reading it. I seemed to fly right through it, laughing and crying and even gasping out loud while I read. Following Harper as she tries to learn how to navigate the world without her 'perfect' big sister in it, your heart breaks for her. Still, there were quite a few amusing parts in the story as well. Harrington is a talented storyteller, luring you in and ensnaring your undivided attention from the beginning to the end of the book. I highly recommend this book to more mature teens; it was one of the best non-paranormal books I've read this year.

My Rating: 

Hannah Harrington doesn't like Pina Coladas, but she does enjoy getting caught in the rain.

Oh, and she's a YA author! Her first novel, SAVING JUNE, was published by Harlequin Teen in 2011, and her second, SPEECHLESS, will be released on August 28th, 2012!

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'The Lost Prince' by Julie Kagawa: Review

The Lost Prince

The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten: Book #1 

By: Julie Kagawa

Published By: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: October 23,2012

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he'd dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

The Lost Prince is the first book in the new Iron Fey series: Call of the Forgotten by Julie Kagawa.  I have to admit to being extremely excited when I heard there was going to be a new series set in the thrilling universe of The Iron Fey. When I heard Ethan, Meghan's baby brother, was going to be the focus of said series, there was some jumping up and down going on over here. I'd been wondering since I finished the first four books what would become of Ethan. I am very happy that Julie Kagawa decided to honor us with another visit to this amazing realm. 

Told from the perspective of 17 year-old Ethan Chase, The Lost Prince snared my interest from the very first line. Really, I'm not kidding.  Ethan is just as captivating a narrator as Meghan was before him.  Amusing and sad all at once, this book was impossible for me to put down. Every time I thought I'd stop reading for a little while, something else would happen that would pull me back in. 

Kagawa's storytelling is superb from start to finish. There is no downtime in the entire book, no lulls in the action and suspense of the story. I finished this entire book in an afternoon, I couldn't stay away from it. And now I have to wait who knows how long for the next installment, I see many re-readings in my future. 

The characters, as always, are what really make the book for me, honestly. Ethan has grown up, and unfortunately, things have not been easy for him. He keeps everyone at arm's length and is prepared for the absolute worst the fey can dish out every single day. Not exactly conducive to a happy, healthy teenage life. Underneath his tough exterior, though, the same sweet Ethan is there. He's merely trying to keep from dragging innocent bystanders into the hell his life has become. I was very impressed with him, even when he was making girls cry. 

I was so very happy for the cameos of some of my favorite characters from The Iron Fey in this book. (When Grimaulkin entered the scene, I clapped. I was on the bus..people stared.) Yet, the new characters are extremely intriguing as well and I am sure that things will only continue to get more enthralling as the series progresses. 

In closing, I would recommend this book to EVERYONE who loves romance, action, humor and sarcasm. This book has it all and then some. It's a MUST READ, I cannot say this enough about ALL of Julie Kagawa's books.  

My Rating:

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn't getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel.

When not swimming for her life, Julie immersed herself in books, often to the chagrin of her schoolteachers, who would find she hid novels behind her Math textbooks during class. Her love of reading led her to pen some very dark and gruesome stories, complete with colored illustrations, to shock her hapless teachers. The gory tales faded with time, but the passion for writing remained, long after she graduated and was supposed to get a real job.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dogtrainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Learn more about Julie Kagawa by visiting her website! 

'Spellbound' by Cara Lynn Shultz: Review

Spellbound

Spellbound Book #1 

By Cara Lynn Shultz

Published By: Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: June 21, 2011 

What's a girl to do when meeting The One means she's cursed to die a horrible death?

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Connor, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives, —visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else. (From Goodreads)

Spellbound is the first book in a series of the same name by Cara Lynn Shultz. Set in modern day New York City, the story spans the course of several months. Following a tragedy that leaves her all alone, the main character, 16 year-old Emma Connor, moves there to live with her aunt.  I found myself drawn into Emma's story from the very start. 

Told from Emma's point of view, the narrative is highly amusing. It is very easy to get caught up in the mystery she finds herself immersed in. I found myself completely entranced with this book and stayed up until 1 am on a work night to finish it. I simply had to know how things turned out between Emma and Brendan. 

I really enjoyed the characters in the book. Emma is hugely likable and it's very hard to not admire her strength and humor in the face of the turmoil surrounding her life. Brendan,  Emma's love interest, is funny, sweet and arrogant all at the same time in that  oh-so appealing way only gorgeous teenage boys can be. My favorite character is Emma's best friend, Anglelique, though. Completely unique and proud of it, she accepts Emma from her first day at the uptight private school and she is always there for her from then on, regardless of the circumstances. 

I have to say that I did see a few of the twists in the plot coming; some parts were a little predictable. However, the characters kept me engaged and hanging on until the end. I enjoyed this book very much and look forward to reading the next volume in the series. 

My Rating: 

Cara Lynn Shultz’s love of supernatural writing began when she was 7 and wrote a play about ghosts, which she and her friends acted out on her grandparents’ porch. Since then, her work has appeared in Teen People, Alternative Press, Stuff, InStyle, Us Weekly, and The Guardian UK.She is a proud graduate of Fordham University and is currently a senior editor at People.com.Cara lives in her native New York City with her husband, tuxedo cat and 8 million other people. Spellbound is her first novel.

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